Hunted
by S9Starbuck
Summary: "As she turned to close the door, she saw him standing about thirty paces away, sword in hand. The sight chilled her to the bone. Her former lover, now hunting her down like cattle." AU. Broken!Richard. Hunted!Kahlan.


**So lately I've been reading the books and watching the show again. This is a product of my imagination. I thought "it would be kind of interesting if Richard had actually started hunting Kahlan down because Denna ordered him to kill Kahlan." Anyways, it wouldn't leave me alone so I had to write something down. So far, consider this a one shot. **

**Oh, and this is majorly AU. **

**And it hasn't been beta'd or meticulously edited. Please forgive me stupidity if you find grammar/typos. I, unfortunately, am an idiot sometimes.**

**Thanks! **

* * *

><p>Her horse carried her swiftly through the trees, stepping on the overgrowth, making a clear trail behind her. But it was the only way through.<p>

She knew he was behind her and gaining fast. She would look behind and see the moonlight glint off of his sword.

She dug her heels into her steed, whispering for it to go faster. She was fortunate to have an intelligent horse.

The only sounds that disturbed the night were the horses and birds. Distantly, she could hear a frog.

_He smiles, laughing. The frog in his hand jumps, lands in her hair. It startles her, she squeals. He grabs it quickly and laughs out an apology. He releases the frog back into the water, they kiss._

She cleared her head of the memory with a shake of the head. This was no time for remembering. That man was gone.

Finally she reaches her destination. The run down tower practically screamed "Stay away" but it had to happen here. The location was secluded and it would give her enough time.

Sliding off her horse, she pulled down the hood of her cloak off her head with a gentle tug. She tied a small pouch onto her saddle, and rushed inside the tower.

As she turned to close the door, she saw him standing about thirty paces away, sword in hand.

The sight chilled her to the bone. Her former lover, now hunting her down like cattle.

The torches were still burning. She was relieved. They'd been lit earlier in the day. It wouldn't do her any good to do this in the dark.

She had barred the door, but as she reached the top of the first flight of stairs she heard him kick in the only barrier between them. She turned to face him.

"You realize that the only way you have left to go is up?" His voice, which had once been so soothing to her, now filled her with a coiled snake of fear.

"Oh Richard," pity filled her as she took in the man before her. She still loved him, or rather, the man he used to be. "What has she done to you?"

"Don't even speak of her!" He hissed, starting towards the stairs.

She turned and rushed into the first room she saw. Part of the wall had crumbled away, and the moon and stars shone through the gap. The wind was blowing quite strongly this evening, and it blew her hair around her face. A broken mirror leaned against the wall. Despite the cracks, she caught her own reflection briefly.

Forest garb. No white dress. Hair pulled back. Dirt streaked on her face.

She turned and found him standing there. Her natural reaction was to pull her daggers out of their sheathes. She found the cold steel comforting, despite herself.

He glanced down to the band of metal clasped around her neck and chuckled. "Looks like we've clipped your claws."

She palmed the daggers in her hands. "Not quite. You just took away the most obvious weapon. Don't say it like it was some stroke of brilliance; any village idiot could have come up with that plan."

He didn't like that. She was implying something about his mistress.

He rushed at her then, sword flashing. She brought both daggers up to parry the attack. The first blow was always the easiest to block.

They began then. Spinning and whirling, swinging and dodging. They knew each other as intimately as two could. She knew not only the soul that lay behind those brown eyes, but also the fighter. She knew his style.

But he also knew hers, which meant that neither could get the upper hand. It was grueling, fighting him and knowing that if she saw the opening, she would slide her dagger into his heart. She knew he would do the same.

She didn't know how long they combated each other before the sweaty grasp of her fingers allowed him to knock one of her daggers out of her hand. She knew that this part of the fighting was over. She could not beat him with one blade, backed in a corner.

His chest rose and fell rapidly. He held his sword at her. She slid to the ground. Her fingers were bloody, she'd scratched them on the wall. She could no longer hold back the tears then. She did not sob uncontrollably like she might have when she was younger, but she did shed tears.

He didn't even care.

_She's crying. The fight is long over but she still has blood caked in her hair. She stands in the water, trying to wash away her pain. "That little boy didn't have to die," she says to herself._

_Suddenly he's beside her, holding her, whispering to her. Neither care they are naked, now is not the time for such thoughts. He hugs her as she sobs, stroking the small of her back._

_"He is with the Creator now," he finally says. "Where he is happy, and with his parents."_

_She takes some comfort in his words, repeating them in her mind._

_"Let's clean up," he smiles gently as he speaks. She loves him so much. She kisses him, holds him by the neck. He pulls away from her and wipes away the tears on her cheeks. "You are so beautiful, inside and out. But please don't cry, it makes my heart ache."_

This was not the man she loved. He held his sword in his hand as he stood over her, a dangerous glint in his eyes. The candlelight flickered over his attractive features and she withheld a sob. All of their memories...worthless. He had been broken, and now he was going to kill her.

Well, he was going to _try_. She was not going to let herself die this day.

She ignored the tears on her cheeks as he inched closer to her. His face was a mask of unconcealed loathing and his teeth were ground together tightly.

"Richard," she started, her voice sounding much stronger than she felt on the inside. "I don't know exactly what that woman did to you, but this isn't you. You don't have to obey her. You don't have to kill me and I don't have to kill you."

"Yes I do," he replied, a dark, soulless smirk on his face. "I do as I am ordered. My mistress has ordered me to kill you, so please, just shut up and die with honor."

"But what about us?" She asked, desperate to stall him just a bit longer.

He laughed. "I care nothing for you. I love my mistress. You were just...a passing fancy. And a good lay."

She flinched at that last part. Her blue eyes met his dark brown, tears shining in her eyes. "I am sorry, Richard. So sorry." It was time for this to end. She and Zedd had planned this long enough.

She grabbed his arm, fingernails digging into his skin.

There was thunder without sound.

* * *

><p><strong>Kind of angsty, right? My favorite kind, heh. Anyways, did you like? Dislike? Reviews are welcome because I need to have my ego stroked andor deflated. I'll take either one because I am a whore for reviews.**

**Thanks for taking the time to read this!**


End file.
